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NORCROSS, Ga., Aug. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Inc. magazine today ranked Advocate, the Cloud & Connectivity Insiders, NO. 3167 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. This is the 11th consecutive ranking for Advocate, an IT consulting firm that helps companies optimize their technology infrastructure by utilizing its marketplace intelligence, decision analytics and acceleration capabilities to quickly provide best-in-class cloud and IT infrastructure solutions that deliver immediate ROI.

The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

Tim Wise, Co-President and Founder of Advocate, commented "We are delighted to be recognized by Inc. for 11 consecutive years of record growth and increasing our growth rate.We are seeing more demand from our clients as digital transformation requires expertise to help accelerate and transform."

Scott Fogle, Co-President and Founder, added, "Our clients continue to rely on our team of experts for innovative ways to save money, improve performance and deliver crucial insight to help them make the best possible IT decisions to support their digital transformation."

About Advocate

Advocate is a consultancy of IT advisors and data scientists dedicated to helping companies optimize their technology. Utilizing marketplace intelligence, decision analytics and acceleration capabilities, Advocate partners with its clients in innovative ways to save money, improve performance and deliver crucial insight to help them make the best possible decisions related to their cloud and network technology. That's why we work, Smarter. Together. Connect with the Insiders on LinkedIn or visit AdvocateInsiders.com.

Media Contact:Kristin Harper, Advocate, 6789875971, rel="nofollow">kristin.harper@advocateinsiders.com

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SOURCE Advocate

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Advocate Named to 2017 Inc. 5000 Listing of America's Fastest ... - Markets Insider

Conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, author Ann Coulter, and recently ousted White House chief strategist Steve Bannon were invited to speak during UC Berkeley's "free speech week."

The three were invited by a student organization called the Berkeley Patriot to speak during the Sept. 24-27 event on campus. Yiannopoulos and Coulter both had scheduled speeches earlier this year that were canceled due to violent protests.

UC spokesman Dan Mogulof told the East Bay Times that Berkeley Patriot organizers "have been good collaborators and attentive to policy."

While Yiannopoulos and Coulter have confirmed their attendance, Bannon has not, according to the Sacramento Bee.

In a statement that was sent to students Wednesday, University Chancellor Carol Christ reiterated the campuses commitment to free speech as a core of the academic institution.

"The university has the responsibility to provide safety and security for its community and guests, and we will invest the necessary resources to achieve that goal," Christ said.

"If you choose to protest, do so peacefully. That is your right, and we will defend it with vigor. We will not tolerate violence, and we will hold anyone accountable who engages in it."

Yiannopoulous shared the chancellors letter on his Facebook page Wednesday while adding: "What a difference six months make! Let's hope Berkeley sticks to this commitment to free expression."

Mogulof told the East Bay Times that the school gets "a lot of requests" to deny the clubs the right to invite the controversial speakers.

"It is absolutely clear that it is first and foremost, a matter of law that groups have an undeniable right to bring speakers of their choice, given their legal autonomy. At UC, registered student organizations are separate legal entities from the campus. It's not the university bringing these groups to campus," Mogulof said.

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Steve Bannon, Ann Coulter, Milo Yiannopoulos invited to Berkeley's 'free speech week' - Washington Examiner

The Royal Courts of Justice, in London.

Its not just U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May who is bristling at the European Union Court of Justice. Germanys top judges, of all people, have been threatening to sidestep some of its rulings.

The Federal Constitutional Court,the countrys highest tribunal,said in a ruling published last week that it has a duty to ignore the ECJ in Luxembourg in some situations. In a case involving the European Central Bank, the German judges said they must deviate from ECJ decisions when the EU top court fails to stop agencies in the bloc that "blatantly" misread their powers.

The judgment is the latest in a string of cases brought by fierce opponents of EU integration who attacked the Maastricht Treaty, euro rescue programs and the Greek bailouts. While the Constitutional Court always rejected the suits,the judgmentseffectively questioned the ECJs role amid perceived EU shortcomings, including a lack of democratic checks and balances, a theme that should be familiar to Brexiteers.

The German and the British complaints may differ, but the sentiments have similar roots, said Christian Pestalozza, a professor emeritus at Berlins Free University. The ECJ is often perceived as interfering in national affairs.

"Sovereign nations really dont like that very much, and to a certain extent that is understandable," he said. "But in a system like the EU theres no way around it. You have to swallow the bitter pill."

While Germany has always been a staunch supporter of the EU, about a dozen Constitutional Court rulings on the countrys role in the bloc have exposed a spat between the German and EU top courts. Many of the most recent cases involved the euro rescue and the ECBs bond-buyer program -- highly unpopular among Germans who fear they will have to pay the bill. The judgments reflect an uneasiness about the EU among the public at large, saidJoachim Wieland, a law professor at the University of Administrative Sciences.

"Back in the 1980s, the Constitutional Court was very EU-friendly. But the more doubts the Germans developed about the EU, the more critical the court became," said Wieland. Judges are also citizens, they do join these discussions and that influences their view of the law."

The German court has said it would act if EU agencies stretch their powers beyond what the treaties authorize, encroaching on member states rights. Its also said it could intervene in if the EU ever usurps Germanys sovereignty over its own budget.

When the ECJ turns a blind eye in "egregious"cases, the German court has reserved -- but never exercised -- the right to deviate from a Luxembourg ruling.

The issue came to a head when a 2015 judgment on a ECB bond-buying program didnt attach all the strings the German court had called for. In last weeks case, the German justices sent a request to Luxembourg for limits on the ECBsquantitative-easing policy, arguing that without them, it may turn to the weapon of last resort. U.K. citizens turned their unease into a vote to leave the EU altogether -- and the role of the ECJ was a major part of that discussion. In a position paper published Wednesday, however, the U.K. retreated from rhetoric about ending the courts jurisdiction over Britain. It now suggests it will be open to monitoring EU case law, abiding by past ECJ rulings and taking future decisions into account.

Despite the common concerns about the ECJ, Germans say they dont quite understand the British complaints. Peter Bert, a lawyer at Taylor Wessing in Frankfurt, attributes them to confusion between the Luxembourg judges and the Strasbourg, France-based European Court of Human Rights, a non EU-panel that has frequently blocked British efforts to deport suspected terrorists.

The situation is very different "from the viewpoint of some German conservatives who loath the EU top court because of its position on EU integration, especially on the euro rescue issue and the policy of the ECB," said Bert, whose law firm was formed by the merger of English and German law firms. "The Brits arent in the euro zone, so its hard to understand where the dislike comes from."

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German Judges May Share UK's Unease With European Union Court - Bloomberg

The French President is hoping to introduce swathes of European Union reform as he hopes to combat the eurosceptic feelings across his country having defeated leading anti-EU candidate Marine Le Pen.

Adam Plowright, who is releasing Mr Macrons biography in September, said the President hopes to introduce policy to make French people feel like they will not fall victim of the blocs plans for globalisation.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mr Plowright said: He was elected in May, promising to completely reform the European Union.

Part of that agenda is making a Europe that is more protective, that makes French people feel like Europe helps them, shields them from globalisation.

GETTY

Emmanuel Macron was elected in May, promising to completely reform the European Union

Adam Plowright

Mr Macron has been working hard to earn the support of eastern European states for his reforms to freedom of movement and labour across the Continent.

The French President ruffled feathers across the bloc by questioning its posted workers policy which allows European companies to send employees to work in another EU member country while continuing to pay benefits and taxes in their own country.

High-wage countries such as France argue this amounts to social dumping by allowing companies with lower costs to compete unfairly with local firms.

Many central and eastern European states see the planned changes as nothing more than veiled protectionism and are vehemently opposed.

Emmanuel Macron said: The single European market and the free movement of workers is not meant to create a race to the bottom in terms of social regulations.

I think that Europe should protect [its citizens], and in that way, the European integration project should get a new meaning. Ultimately our citizens want to free themselves from the pressures of globalisation.

A Europe that protects is also in the position to solve the problem of posted workers. The posted workers directive, as it currently works, is a betrayal of the European spirit This only fuels populism in our countries.

AFP/Getty Images

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French President Emmanuel Macron poses with his wife Brigitte Trogneux at the Elysee presidential Palace

Estonia, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, is due to table a new proposal in September.

The French president enlisted the Czech and Slovak leaders, meaning he now has half of the four-nation Visegrad group which has opposed western European countries on issues including migrants and reform of the posted workers' directive.

Robert Fico, the Slovak prime minister, said progress had been made and reaching a deal by a meeting of European leaders in October was realistic

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Emmanuel Macron wants to replicate Merkel and RULE the European Union, says biographer - Express.co.uk

European Union Flag

The European Union is estimating a 9.343 million metric ton apple harvest for the 2017-18 growing season, down 21 percent from 2016, according to a press release from Interpoma. The total is equivalent to about 10.3 million U.S. tons, or 1.03 billion 20-pound boxes.

The figures were announced at Prognosfruit, the World Apple and Pear Association annual conference in Lleida, Spain.

Germany should see a decline of about 46 percent, while Poland is forecast to be off by 29 percent and Italy down 23 percent. France predicts an 8 percent decline, while Belgium and the Netherlands will likely see large percentage drops, albeit in relatively small harvests.

Hungary forecasts a 26 percent increase in production to 628,000 metric tons, while Portugal and Spain should see moderate increases.

Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, is predicting a 21 percent production decrease.

The report also shows that most of the Northern Hemisphere will see smaller apple harvests, with Russia falling 37 percent, followed by Mexico (30 percent), Belarus (19 percent), Ukraine (10 percent) and Canada (6 percent).

The United States will be fairly stable at 4.8 million metric tons (5.29 million U.S. tons), while Chinese production estimated to increase by 3 percent.

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European Union predicts down year for apples - Good Fruit Grower